Revisiting the GroEL-GroES Reaction Cycle via the Symmetric Intermediate Implied by Novel Aspects of the GroEL(D398A) Mutant

Ayumi Koike-Takeshita

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Current Position: Associate Professor of Biochemistry in the Department of Applied Chemistry at Kanagawa Institute of Technology in Kanagawa, Japan

Education: Ph.D. in Biochemical Science (1999) from Tohoku University

Non-scientific Interests: Camping and yoga

When I was an employee of Toyota Motor Corporation I worked on elucidating the biosynthetic mechanisms of isoprenoids. After completing my Ph.D., I joined Prof. Masasuke Yoshida�s research group at Tokyo Institute of Technology in Yokohama and studied the reaction mechanisms of the GroEL/GroES chaperonin system. The nature of the chaperonin, with its flexibility and rigidity, piqued my interest in sophisticated molecular machinery. Although the reaction model of GroEL is believed to be fixed, we have experimental data that are not entirely compatible with the fixed model. Careful step-by-step examination led to the current paper, which challenges the accepted model. I hope this paper has a positive impact on the chaperone field. In April 2007, I moved to Kanagawa Institute of Technology. We are now concentrating on elucidating the behavior of chaperonins in the crowded cell.

Read Dr. Koike-Takeshita's article on page 23774.

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